


Monsters and Beasts

by therune



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 04:04:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2295938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therune/pseuds/therune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>written for a prompt on the kink_meme:<br/>Nation A is a nation with a reputation as being stern, tough, and kinda scary. Nation B, though he would never publicly admit it, is kinda freaked out by Nation A.</p>
<p>One day, A finds an injured animal and takes it in to nurse it back to health, and it turns out it's kind of hard to keep your tough-guy image when you're bottle-feeding a little fuzzball at three in the morning. B finds out about what A is doing, and not only is B not freaked out anymore, he thinks it's kind of cute. Maybe he even helps A take care of the poor little thing?</p>
<p>Where it goes from there is up to Author-Anon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nation A is Germania, Nation B is Feliciano.<br/>Germania lives as Rome's bodyguard for a while, and Feli and Romano spend their time being mostly afraid of the strange barbarian. Until Feli discovers Germania's secret....well, one of them</p>
            </blockquote>





	Monsters and Beasts

Feliciano was very little when grandfather's friend came to live with them, at least for a while.  
His grandfather had been away on one of his trips on which he never took him or his brother, but that was fine for little Feli, grandpa said that on those trips they had to sleep in tents, on the floor and that the food was terrible, so he preferred to stay in his warm cozy bed and with the kitchen just down the hall. And grandfather claimed that there were no food stalls in the wildnerness where he went, that's why it was the wilderness. No, Feli was quite certain that he never wanted to see that.  
While Feli knew that there was something special about his brother, grandfather and himself, he had seldom seen others like himself. He was too young to remember visits from the nice ladies from the East or the men from the South. But he would remember this man.

Feli was sitting in the sun, eating strawberries when he heard metal clanking and steps coming closer. He opened his eyes, then smiled brightly. It was grandfather, returned from his trip. His grandfather had not taken time to change out of his travel clothes. Feli had asked once why they were made of metal - that must be umcomfortable, to wear, no? - but grandfather had only laughed and ruffled his hair, and told him that he'd understand when he was older.  
Feli basically flew into his grandfather's arms, and he spun him around, then held him close and peppered his face with kisses.  
"My darling boy," grandfather exclaimed, "my beloved Feli, I missed you so much!" His voice was deep and rumbled in his chest.  
"I'm so glad you're back. Did you bring me anything?"  
His grandfather laughed again. "Just after my heart. I have indeed brought something back, but it's not just for you, it's a surprise."  
Feli was delighted! Would it be some of the soft cloth from the desert road? Maybe a new animal to play with? Maybe it was food!  
"Go fetch your brother, then meet me in the atrium."

Feli rushed out of the room in search for his brother.  
"Romano, Romano, come quick, grandfather has returned. And he brought a surprise!"  
He encountered Romano in the kitchen garden. Feli clasped his brother's hand in his and dragged him along. "Come, you have to see what it is!"  
Romano let himself be dragged.  
"You don't even know what it is," he chided.  
"How do you know that?"  
"If you knew, you would have blabbed about it, you can't keep anything to yourself."  
"Can too!"  
"Can not!"  
"Can too!" Feli protested.  
They had reached the atrium when their grandfather entered as well, having changed into a light tunic. Now he looked properly like grandfather again. He smiled broadly and swooped Romano up and kissed him on the forehead.  
"You're getting sooo big, you'll be a man in no-time!"  
Romano blushed bright red and started to squirm.  
"What's the surprise?" Feli asked impatiently. Grandfather took their hands, and led them, one on each side, to the door facing west.  
He himself was almost giddy with excitement.  
"You'll see, you'll see."  
Even Romano was getting infected by the suspense. "Is it a good surprise?"  
"The best ever," grandfather promised.  
Finally they had stepped outside and saw it.  
There, on a big black horse that was dancing impatiently on the street, was a man; he was tall, thin, dressed in clothes Feli had never seen before. And he scowled and almost pierced him with a glare from his blue eyes. And above those was a mane of long, bright hair.  
"My grandchildren, that is my friend, and he'll be staying with us for a while."

 

Both children attempted to hide behind their grandfather's legs.  
What sort of surprise was this?  
"Get off your horse, greet my kids. And try to smile. I had not thought it possible, but you're actually frightening the children."  
The man did not smile, but at least he got off his horse. But that did not make him less intimidating, Feli thought.  
Of course he had seen hair like that before, on a few slaves but mostly on noblewomen who had wigs made from blond or white hair. And he had seen eyes like that before. And by far stranger clothes as well, but there was something unsettling about this man. Oddly enough, Feli was reminded of grandfather and his metal clothes, when he went away for long times and returned with more and more scars. Did he get those from men like him?  
"Are you from the wilderness?" Romano asked meekly. He was curious, but only when he was safe behind grandfather.  
The man walked closer, oddly silent despite the metal he wore. Up close, Feli could see that he wore some kind of pelt or fur like a cloak.  
"I am the wildest of them all," the man said. But the words sounded strange, with a foreign melody and twist to them.  
"What's your name?" Feli squeaked, surprised by his own voice.  
The man cocked his head. "I am Indomitus."  
"Really?" grandfather asked, "must you act so childish?"  
Feli didn't understand.  
"You leave me little choice, Wolf-Born. That is the name you shall address me by."  
Grandfather's eternal smile faltered, and for a second, Feli could see a different man in grandfather's face.  
"Is this your last word?"  
"Until you say what I want to hear, yes."  
The strange man and what he did to grandfather scared Feli, he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. But his brother noticed and acted. Romano tugged at grandfather's tunic. "I think Feli is hungry, and you must be hungry, too."  
And grandfather was grandfather again. He stroked over their hair. "Then let's go to the kitchen, I'll have the slaves cook up a feast. There's much to celebrate." Romano and Feli attempted to drag grandfather away, but when grandfather didn't want to be moved, he was like rock.  
"Bring your horse to the stables, then join us. I'll have to show you the house and then the whole of Roma."  
The man led his horse away, and grandfather finally walked to the kitchen.  
The kitchen did make Feli feel instantly better, as did grandfather's smile. The servants had already started to prepare a feast, but neither of them could wait and started to snack on whatever was already available.  
It felt just like before, but then Indomitus entered, still with that pelt around his shoulders, he looked like scary stories described wild people, like he climbed out of one and into their home.  
Grandfather felt the tension rise.  
"I'll have a servant bring you a change of clothes, you must be feeling hot."  
"I am as comfortable as I'll ever be."

Days passed, and neither the man nor his attitude seemed to change. Grandfather had gone on a tour through the city with them, showed him all the great places, but nothing seemed to impress him.  
Frequently, grandfather would send them out of the room when Indomitus came and they talked. Feli had asked about what once, but grandfather had ruffled his hair and told him that he'd understand when he was older.  
Apparently the man never went anywhere without his sword, not like grandfather who only took his on his trips and discarded it as soon as he went home.  
Feli had never heard the man speak as much as on his first day again, he was mostly silent.

One night, when he couldn't sleep, Feli decided to walk to grandfather's room and sleep in his bed, that always made the bad dreams go away.  
But before he could go inside, he heard voices. His grandfather was still awake and talking to Indomitus.  
Silently he sat down next to the wall and listened.  
"There was another assassin, trying to hide in one of the appartments."  
"Oh gods," grandfather said, sounding tired and small somehow. Grandfather never was small, grandfather was strong, always! Feli didn't know what an assassin was, but it must have been a bad thing.  
"Like I said, was."  
"That's three this month. I can't - this cannot go on for much longer."  
"It won't, I left a message. I don't think they'll try again soon."  
"What would I do without you?"  
"Lie dead in a ditch somewhere."  
"Don't joke at a time like this."  
"Since when do I joke? You brought me here to protect you and your offspring, and that is what I am doing."  
"And I'm grateful, I really am. Don't you see that I need you here? You need to stay, I cannot do this without you."  
There was rustling and what sounded like a chair being dragged.  
"I wish I didn't need to stay."  
Grandfather then made a sound that was like a laugh that had died.  
"I wish I didn't need to keep you. But you're the best and I need you by my side."  
"Is that the part where you say that this hurts you more than me?"  
"You would never believe me if I did."  
"True."  
There was a bit of silence. Feli wanted to listen, wanted to hear what they had to say, but he was getting tired. His eyes fell shut on more than one occassion and he drifted in and out of sleep, never quite sure if what he heard was reality or a dream.

"Do you know what they call you, behind my back, when they think I cannot hear them?"  
"Your prisoner?"  
"My beast. My wild devil. My monster, even."  
"Your monster?"  
"Can you blame them after what you did to the traitor and his family?"  
"I suppose not."  
There was more rustling and footsteps.  
"Regardless of the circumstances, I cannot deny that a part of me is delighted that you're here."  
"I bet I know which one."  
"I do believe that was a joke, old friend. Is Roma finally wearing down your defenses?"  
"Never."  
"Is nothing here that you enjoy? The plays? The games? The wine? The company?"  
"In this swamp of decadence? With assassins, hidden daggers and poison? I prefer my forests."  
"They're savage."  
"They're simple. I'm not one for politics, I despise this trickery, the lies."  
"I do, too. Often I wish that I could go back, when I was young, behind me an army and the world for my taking."  
More steps.  
"I remember stories they told me, about the Wolf-born, who took over a city and a country by storm. Who was brave and glorious. I wish I knew you then. Knew you as a beast."  
"Careful now."  
"Sometimes, I think I can see you, on the battlefield, with your armor glistening in the sun, a sword in your hand - seeing you as you were meant to be."  
"What do you see now?"  
"A grandfather. Someone who's soft, who wears cloth and a paintbrush instead of an armor and a sword."  
"Oh, my friend, is it a bad thing to wish for a future, for a safe city, for something I can give my children to inherit? Is it bad to want peace?"  
"To want it? No. But not to fight for it?"  
"I suppose you think that's cowardice. Weakness. Sometimes I forget you're so young, still."  
"I am a warrior."  
"The fiercest I have ever known. You should have been with me, back when I had Roma and nothing else. We would own the world by now. From the desert to the ice vastness in the north. Alexander's empire would be dwarfed by our own."  
"Who is this Alexander?"  
"You don't know him?" there was laughter, "you are a wild beast."  
"Would you have me any other way?"  
"You wouldn't be you if you weren't so stubborn."  
"Is life always so complicated here?"  
"I wish I could say no."  
"I almost wish I could believe that."  
"Now, come here, let me tell you about Alexander, Alexander the Great. His empire stretched over half of the world, but then they thought that the world ended at the sea. His story begins...."

Feli found himself in his bed the next morning, not sure if he had been awake or dreaming the previous night.  
More days passed. Sometimes they stayed home all day, sometimes grandfather sent Indomitus with them to the forum or other places. Sometimes grandfather played with them when Indomitus called for him, then they exchanged a few hushed words, then the tall man left for hours. On one day, they were on their way to the forum, to see grandfather, when Indomitus rushed them to a narrow alleyway and pushed them into the shadows, roughly.  
"What is going on?" Romano demanded.  
"Shhh," Indomitus said, his face a stone mask. "I need you to stay here, for a bit. Hide here."  
"Is this a game?" Feli asked.  
"Yes, it's a game we play where I come from. And you win if you're absolutely quiet, when no one knows that you're here."  
Romano pouted and Feli clutched at Indomitus' tunic. "But I don't want to be here! It's dark! And scary!"  
Indomitus' eyes darted around nervously.  
"But it's a fun game," he said, "and - and when you win, you'll get a prize."  
"A prize?" Feli's eyes widened.  
"The best ever."  
"Promise?"  
"Yes, I promise, so go be good boys now and hide here. Make no sound."  
Feli nodded excitedly. Indomitus' games may be strange, but he was playing one.  
Indomitus looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he closed his mouth and walked away quickly. Feli didn't notice that his hand was tightly clasped around his sword.  
The alley was still dark and gross and scary, but he made no sound.  
When Indomitus returned, he held two steaming pies.  
"Is that all?" Feli asked.  
At that, Indomitus actually cracked a smile.  
"No, your grandfather has the rest. We'll go see him now, and you can tell him how you're the best at playing games. Be sure to mention the prize to him."  
When they met grandfather, he looked worried but soon smiled when he saw them. Feli happily told him all about the game, and how they had to teach Indomitus better games because his ones were boring. And then he demanded his prize. Grandfather looked at Indomitus.  
"I thought you didn't like politics."  
"But I do like games."  
In the end grandfather bought them new toys and promised they'd have a feast tonight. 

That night, Feli couldn't sleep again. He was thirsty, so he went to the kitchen.  
He was surprised to see Indomitus there, and out of his metal clothes, in a light tunic like grandfather wore. His back was turned, but the pitter-patter of Feli's feet must have made him alarmed. He turned around suddenly, eyes glaring, until he saw that it was only Feli, then he relaxed.  
"What are you doing? It's late, too late for boys."  
"I want something to drink, and I can't sleep."  
Satisfied with that, Indomitus turned around again. Feli hadn't noticed how his hand had clutched a big knife.  
"What are you doing here?" Feli asked after he had drunken something.  
"I am older, I can stay awake as long as I please."  
"Can I stay awake with you?"  
"No, you should go to bed."  
"But I don't want to." Feli stepped closer, hesitantly. "What are you doing?"  
"Nothing."  
But Feli had seen something. Not the knife, never the knife, but something else.  
It was tiny, impossibly tiny and black.  
A little ball of fluff and feathers?  
"You have a bird?" Feli asked, almost shrieked with happiness. He had never seen one up close.  
"Shhh, you'll wake the entire house."  
"Can I see? Where did you get it? What's its name? Can I hold it? Can I pet it?"  
"No. Be quiet."  
"No is not a proper answer."  
"Not one you have heard often, I bet."  
"What does that mean?"  
"Nothing, go back to bed."  
"But you have a bird!"  
"So?"  
"So let me see!"  
"Will it make you shut up?"  
"Yes," Feli promised.  
Indomitus cradled the tiny bird in his hands and knelt down next to Feli so he could see.  
It was a baby bird, with black and grey feathers, a black beak and big round eyes.  
"What kind of bird is it?"  
"I don't know yet, it's too small to tell."  
Feli reached out with his hands.  
"Gently," Indomitus said, "or it will pick at your fingers."  
Feli was trying to be very gentle and ghosted over the bird's feathers. It felt incredible.  
"Where did you get it? Why is it not with its family?"  
"I suppose it fell from its nest or maybe a cat took it."  
"A cat took it away?"  
"Cats do that, took it from its home and now it's stuck on the ground here. It can't fly away, not yet."  
"And you take care of it?"  
"Yes, until it is big and strong, and can fly."  
"Will it fly away then?"  
"It's a bird, it can't stay here. Birds don't belong on the ground."  
They sat together for a while, with Feli quietly asking questions.  
"Now it is getting late, go back to bed."  
Feli yawned. "But I'm not tired."  
"You are, go to bed."  
"Fine."  
As Feli left, Indomitus said quickly, almost nervously, "just, don't tell your grandfather. this will be our secret, you understand?"  
"A secret!"  
"Shhhhh."  
"Ok, shhh, I promise."

 

Indomitus ended up staying with them for months, still being usually quiet, and never smiled. Except sometimes at night when Feli sneaked to the kitchen an saw the bird getting bigger and bigger. Finally it was grown up and then it was gone, from one night to the next. "It needed to fly, it's in his nature" Indomitus said, "it's no life for a bird inside a cage."  
Grandfather seemed happy and at the same time sad when Indomitus was around.  
And from one night to the next, Imdomitus was gone as well.  
"Why did he go, grandfather?" Feli asked once he found out.  
"He did what he came here for and I, I guess that it was time. Roma was not his city, never will be."  
"He needed to fly?" Feli asked.  
Grandfather looked at him, perplexed by the strange choice of words.  
"I guess so. Birds don't belong inside cages, and he never belonged here."  
"Do you think we'll see him again?"  
Grandfather tried to smile, but it looked very sad.  
"Maybe."

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> Not very historically accurate, I know.  
> Indomitus means untamed in Latin, I chose it because I didn't want to call Germania Germania or by some name I made up, so I'm going with "he chose the name for himself to spite Rome and made him address him with it". Germania was Rome's bodyguard once, so I'm going with it: the main reason however is to protect Feli and Romano from assassins and kidnappers and whatnot, since I think Rome can take care of himself, but the two bosy are obviously his weaknesses.  
> And about the bird, 1) I guess an affinity with birds runs in the family and 2) symbolism, yay!
> 
> and sorry I derailed this a lot, I just have a lot of Germania&Rome feels  
> also, subtext is subtext


End file.
